GRACIAS asked our friends on Facebook to share YOUR stories of overcoming adversity with us. Here is the Story of one of our incredible Chapter Directors (that with her permission) would like to share her story with you! My name is Veronica Figueroa and I am currently a certified English Teacher for the Department of Education in Puerto Rico. I am married to an amazing man that supports me in all of my decisions. Our proudest accomplishment to date has been given the opportunity to be parents to two healthy boys, Edison 3 and Leonardo 1. My life has been filled with amazing and challenging journeys. I was born into the military life. My father was in the U.S. Army and therefore we were stationed every two-three years. Ever since I was young, I enjoyed helping others in need and motivated others into doing so as well. My parents had given me everything I ever needed and wanted up until I turned twenty. When my husband and I got pregnant, we struggled to have the necessary stuff to provide for us two. We at one point depended on Food Stamps and W.I.C. I was pregnant and my husband and I did not have a job. He managed to have some money saved up from his summer job (about $1,300). With this money we found a closest-spaced room for us to stay in for $100 monthly. It wasn’t much but it was home for the time being. I was sleeping on a little twin bed and my husband was sleeping on a car seat that was inside the room. The bathroom was only five steps away so privacy was not accommodated. I remember there where nights were we only got to eat once because we needed the little money we had to last. My husband would buy me the dollar pack of Ramon Noodle Soup from a pharmacy store and that would be my meal for the day. Sometimes my husband would go without eating so that I could eat for the baby I was carrying. It was really hard for me to understand what it would be like to be underprivileged. For the first time, I really valued the value of a dollar. My husband and I economized to the cents! Finally after almost four months waiting for our apartment, we got it. It was provided by the government and it gave up stability for awhile. My first son was born and we were on our way to progress. After my son was around four months old we received a phone call that my husband had been offered a job at a daycare center. I was so happy. I felt for the first time we had succeeded! We quickly moved closer to where his job was at and I found a teaching job for myself. I felt that we had to go through the tough in order to appreciate what we were going to have in the future. Throughout this whole process I learned how to relate and understand those that are in need. I learned how to care for others that don’t have someone to care for them at all. I am well aware of my diverse surroundings more now than ever. I choose to help because it is engraved in my blood and because my soul takes pleasure in caring for others. Being the former president of my university, I reached out to orphanages and offered my services to anything they may have needed. This has made me a better woman for my children, my students and especially in the eyes of God. I hope to encourage others to help in the journey I choose to take with GRACIAS and to lend a hand to those that cannot.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 19:31:04 +0000
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